Inside Crossover: a Q&A with SEM Hussein Zahran

Meet Hussein. He’s a software engineering manager at Crossover.

Hussein is originally from Cairo, Egypt, but is now based out of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. He’s been working in IT for nearly 15 years in both technical and managerial roles and discovered Crossover while searching for a remote engineering job.

Here, he shares how he got started in the tech industry and gives you an insider’s perspective of getting hired at Crossover.

How did you get started in the IT industry?

I started to advance my technical skills in the programming field working with .NET and C# languages. This allowed me to start as a junior web developer with a small-sized development company, then I moved to [a bigger] development company in Egypt to join as a senior solution developer.

What was the Crossover application process like?

The application process was really a great experience. I started my process by going through a question/answer trial hosted on HackerRank.com. After passing this stage, [there was a tech trial], and to be frank, it is a must-do experience as it shows your strengths and weaknesses, and for me it was a real benefit. Thirdly, and after passing the tech trial, I got a technical interview with one of Crossover’s technical experts [followed by] a call with the hiring manager.

What’s the best thing about working at Crossover?

I like being part of a big family from different cultures and backgrounds.

What does your work setup look like?

I usually work from home, but sometimes I will go into a coffee shop to work.

What are some of the challenges of working remotely?

Time zone differences would be the top challenge, but that can be easily solved by making sure you’re catching up with team and client time zones.

Do you have any favorite tools that help you stay productive?

My favorite tool is the internet; this is the only tool that helps me do my work and communicate with my team.